[SBB] Vesper Sparrow/Mines Rd Area

[Dean Manley <[[email protected]]>]

Hi SBBers,

Sorry about this late in the day posting.  With forecast of an overcast day
(it was still hot) I decided to give the Mines Rd area a quick go today,
06/27.  Stopping first on San Antonio Valley Rd up from The Junction I saw
an adult LEWIS'S WOODPECKER hawking insects and feeding it's single
fledgling offspring. Moving farther along the road I saw a third Lewis's
Woodpecker.  A juvenile WESTERN BLUEBIRD flew to the barbed wire fence a
few feet away for my attention.  I then moved to my real target, the
unlikely possibility of a lingering Sage Sparrow up the hill from the CSF
fire station.  None found but I was entertained by a male Western Bluebird
and it's two fledglings, a male PHANOPEPLA with fledgling, and a
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER.

I then moved down Del Puerto Canyon Rd about a half mile (?) for a lunch
stop at about 1pm.  There is a section of road with a considerable length
of parkable shoulder on the right.  I parked where the shoulder was widest
with the first bridge just barely in sight.  Stepping to the edge of the
shoulder and looking down into the gulch at the creek a bird flew into my
view and perched just below road level and about 20 feet away.  I
immediately thought it was a sparrow but not one I was familiar with.  So
sparrow type look, pinkish bill, tail was not visable, fine marks but no
bold marks or high contrast noted. Just a nondescript brownish uniform look
as viewed from the top. In  a very few seconds It flew east, parallel to
the road.  Holly cow, look at those brilliant white outer retrices.  Wide
white outer tail stripes on a medium to longish tail must be a VESPER
SPARROW, my first.  I was unable to relocate the bird.  I tried again to
find it again after lunch with no luck.

My views were for only a few seconds, looking down on the bird, and in
shade.  When I later checked the field guides I noticed that I failled to
detect the presence of the eye ring.  The head was pointed away from me but
turned so he could watch me.  I remember looking for cheek marks but I just
didn't tick off  eye ring, yes or no?  This gulch would not be normal
habitat but I could have easily flushed him off the road.  I know this is
an uncommon bird so any thoughts of an alternate id are welcome.

Two more Lewis's Woodpeckers were scoped on a wooden power pole from this
Del Puerto Canyon Rd location.

Dean Manley
Mountain View



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